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Chucks stomp Raiders, 43-6, on 9th-grade gridiron

PUNXSUTAWNEY – If you missed the first quarter, you missed the game. The Punxsy Chucks ninth-grade football team stomped the Brookville Raiders with 41 first quarter points on the way to a 43-6 decisive victory Wednesday night.

Alex Young scored three of the Chucks (6-0) six touchdowns with a 60-yard opening kickoff to go with two long scoring runs of 40 and 35 yards.

Braxton Giavedoni found the end zone on both sides of the ball. He raced into it from 45 yards and intercepted a Raiders' pass to take it 42 yards.

Quarterback Ryan Jones hit Nathan Lingenfelter from seven yards on the other Punxsy score. Kicker Caleb Young made six of seven extra point attempts in the contest.

"They are a good bunch of kids," said Chucks coach Rob Weaver. "You can't ask for anything else, as they all did a great job tonight."

If anyone was late getting to their seat, they missed the first Chucks' touchdown. Giavedoni fielded the Brookville kick and took off. He did not stop for 60 yards and saw six points on the board for the home team.

After stopping the Raiders, the Chucks quickly added to the lead. Upon driving inside the Brookville 10-yard line, Jones fired a strike to Lingenfelter on a seven-yard slant to extend the difference to 13-0.

The Raiders again could get nothing going on the offensive side of the ball. Punxsy took over and Alex Young struck a second time. He took the handoff from Jones on a quick trap and scampered 40 yards for the third Chucks touchdown in the first 4:15 of the game for a 20-0 tally.

The Chucks defense again made quick work of the Raiders, forcing a punt after three plays for no net yards.

Punxsy took over on the visitor 45-yard line. On a sweep right, Giavedoni ran and turned the corner, and no one was able to stop him before the end zone, to set the score at 27-0 with 3:19 remaining in the first.

Brookville took over on the 50-yard line but, for the second possession in a row, did not manage a positive yard on three plays. The snap on the ensuing punt was bad, and Punxsy took over on the Brookville 35-yard line.

For the second drive in a row by the Chucks, the home team needed just a single play to add to the lead. Alex Young took the handoff and rushed straight up the middle of the Raiders' defense 35 yards for the score. Caleb Young added the point after to make it 34-0 with 1:38 still in the opening 10-minute quarter.

The Raiders started their next offensive series on their 30-yard line. The quarterback dropped back and lofted a pass over the middle where Giavedoni snatched it out of the air, pulled it down and took off 42 yards for the sixth Punxsy touchdown of the quarter and 41-0 commanding lead as time ran out in the first.

Brookville did get a first down to start the second quarter on a third-and-long situation. The drive stalled from there but Punxsy turned the ball over on a third down fumble on its possession.

The Raiders scored their only points of the night following the Chucks miscue. On third down, the Brookville running back ran off the left side 33 yards for the score. The Raiders two-point conversion was no good for a 41-6 contest.

The second half saw a running clock quicken the game. The only points of the second 16 minutes came on a Brookville high punt snap that went over the punter's head into the end zone for a Punxsy safety and what would be the 43-6 final.

"We go on the road next week to face a good Keystone team. We will see there what our kids are made of as that will be a good test for them," added Weaver.

The game at Keystone for Punxsy will be next Wednesday, Oct. 17 starting at 5 p.m.